Warriors Rumors

Fischer’s Latest: Giannis, Knicks, Nets, Hawks, Spurs, Warriors

December 5th, 2025 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

When the Bucks briefly explored the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade over the summer, the Knicks were the only team they spoke to, with the star forward having reportedly expressed some interest in the idea of playing in New York.

Given Antetokounmpo’s apparent affinity for the Big Apple, the Nets have long believed they could have a real shot at winning the Giannis sweepstakes if he ever ends up on the trade block, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). However, according to Fischer, while the Knicks continue to be viewed as a credible threat to land the two-time MVP, Brooklyn is no longer being described in the same terms.

As Fischer explains, the Nets are prioritizing a high pick in the 2026 draft in the hopes of landing a young franchise player to build around, and don’t have the sort of championship-caliber roster that Antetokounmpo would be seeking in the event that he requests a trade.

The Knicks, conversely, have a roster better equipped to contend with Giannis, but may lack the assets to sell Milwaukee on a deal. For what it’s worth, Fischer hears from multiple sources that Antetokounmpo told at least one Bucks teammate during the offseason that he thought a deal with the Knicks was close to happening, though multiple reports have indicated that the two teams didn’t gain real traction in their discussions.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Hawks could make a compelling offer for Antetokounmpo by offering the 2026 first-round pick they acquired from New Orleans back in June. If the Bucks were to acquire that pick, they’d control both their own and the Pelicans’ first-rounders in the upcoming draft. Fischer says he has been repeatedly – and “quite strongly” – told since the start of the season that Atlanta won’t trade that “most favorable” first-rounder, which could end up with the best odds to be No. 1 overall, but he believes the Hawks’ front office would have to at least consider the idea if it meant adding a superstar like Giannis.
The Spurs have talked to Antetokounmpo’s U.S.-based agent Alex Saratsis multiple times over the years about the possibility of joining their front office, sources tell Fischer. Despite that link between the two parties, Fischer says there’s no guarantee San Antonio would be a major player in the Giannis sweepstakes if he seeks a deal, noting that the Spurs have thus far been unwilling to consider moving either Dylan Harper or Stephon Castle, even for Antetokounmpo.
During past trade discussions for other players, the Warriors have “never been close” to putting both Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski in the same package, Fischer writes. They also have never seriously entertained any scenario in which they trade Draymond Green. However, Fischer thinks the club would be open to reconsidering both of those possibilities if Antetokounmpo is on the table.

Warriors Notes: Butler, Melton, Horford, Draymond, Spencer

December 4th, 2025 at 11:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said prior to Thursday’s game in Philadelphia that Jimmy Butler underwent an MRI on his sore left knee, according Nick Friedell of The Athletic.

As Friedell writes, while the team doesn’t seem overly concerned about Butler’s knee, it remains to be seen when the 36-year-old forward will return to action — he missed the second half of Tuesday’s loss to Okalahoma City after experiencing the injury and was out Thursday as well.

Golden State has a road back-to-back this weekend, but then has four days off before its next game on December 12, which will likely be Stephen Curry‘s target return date.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

De’Anthony Melton gave the Warriors a spark off the bench on Thurday in his season debut, recording 14 points, three assists, two steals and a block in 21 minutes of action. Kerr said before the game that Melton, who had been recovering from an ACL tear, would be on a restriction of approximately 20 minutes, per Friedell. “It’s been a long time since he’s played in an NBA game, so this is about getting his feet wet, finding a comfort zone out on the floor,” Kerr said. “You can scrimmage all you want, but it’s not like being in an NBA game. So I’m excited to get him back. He’s a hell of a player and he’s worked really hard in his rehab to get himself back to this point.”
After missing the past four games with sciatica, Al Horford was active against his former team on Thursday and wound up making his first start of the season, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. While the 39-year-old big man struggled with his shot again, going 1-for-8 from the field (1-of-7 from long distance), he did chip in six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block, and the team was plus-three in his 18 minutes.
Forward/center Draymond Green injured his right foot late in the second quarter during Thursday’s one-point loss after Dominick Barlow fell on it (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). The Warriors quickly ruled Green out at halftime, and while the former Defensive Player of the Year was in a walking boot in the locker room, he told Slater that he wants and expects to keep playing through the pain. Green sprained the same foot a couple weeks ago when Donovan Clingan landed on it, Slater notes.
Golden State is now below .500 for the first time this season after dropping Thursday’s game, Slater adds. The Warriors, who are 11-12, mounted a furious comeback in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 26, only to see the bid fall short in the closing seconds of a chaotic and entertaining ending.
One bright spot on Thursday was third-year guard Pat Spencer, who is on a two-way contract. He was instrumental in the comeback, recording 16 points (on 5-of-8 shooting), four rebounds and four assists, with the Warriors outscoring the 76ers by 16 points in his 24 minutes. After the game, Kerr said he’s hoping to see Spencer get promoted to a standard contract at some point — the 29-year-old has been active for all 23 games this season and can be available for up to 50 contests, as Slater relays (Twitter video link). “It would be great to find a way to get him on the (standard) roster,” Kerr said. Still, Kerr acknowledged it would be “tricky” to convert Spencer — the standard roster is now full after Golden State signed Seth Curry, and the team is operating only about $264K below its hard cap.

Pelicans Rumors: Williamson, Murphy, Jones, Alvarado

December 4th, 2025 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Hired as the Pelicans‘ new head of basketball operations in the spring, Joe Dumars opted against pursuing a trade of oft-injured forward Zion Williamson during his first summer on the job. However, with New Orleans off to a league-worst 3-19 start this fall and Williamson once again battling health issues – first a hamstring strain and now an adductor strain – it appears increasingly unlikely that the former No. 1 overall pick will be part of the team’s long-term future, writes Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints.

One league source who spoke to ClutchPoints speculated that the Pelicans would be willing to accept the “first decent, reasonable offer” they get for Williamson, but the 25-year-old’s value is diminished due to his injury history. New Orleans has yet to have any meaningful trade negotiations involving Williamson, according to Dodson, who notes that the team’s leverage is extremely limited.

Discussing the Williamson situation during an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of NBA Today (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the two-time All-Star has “almost next to no value” and pointed out that the Pelicans remain incentivized to win games this season because they don’t control their own 2026 first-round pick.

“I know this sounds like a broken record,” Windhorst said, “but I think the pathway forward with Zion is continue to support him, like (interim head coach) James Borrego said, and continue to try to exhaust all pathways to get him into a space where he can be the dominant player that he is.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

While sharpshooter Trey Murphy III would have significant value on the trade market if he were made available, the Pelicans seem more inclined to view him as a core part of the team’s future rather than a trade asset, Dodson writes. One source tells ClutchPoints that New Orleans would want a Desmond Bane-type return in the event of a Murphy trade, with multiple first-round picks, a veteran contract, and a solid young prospect viewed as a starting point.
Pelicans defensive stopper Herbert Jones also has plenty of trade value, with the Lakers and Warriors among the teams that have “actively” looked into pathways to acquiring him, Dodson reports.
Guard Jose Alvarado is another New Orleans role player who has generated trade interest this fall, Dodson confirms. Alvarado, who is on a pseudo-expiring contract, with a $4.5MM player option in 2026/27, was previously said to be drawing interest from Indiana.
Dodson suggests that attaching one of those coveted role players to Williamson may be the best way for the Pelicans to maximize their return in any trade involving the former Duke standout.

Latest On Giannis Antetokounmpo

December 4th, 2025 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of a Shams Charania report stating that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has reopened conversations with the Bucks about his future, head coach Doc Rivers – who dismissed Antetokounmpo-related trade speculation in October – reacted with exasperation when asked about the latest rumors.

“So, here we go again. There’s been no conversations,” Rivers told reporters, including Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter links). “I want to make it clear for the – I want to say one more time – for the 50th time, and clearly it’s not getting to one network, for sure, Giannis has never asked to be traded. Ever. I can’t make that more clear. … I talk to the source every single day, every single day. And he loves Milwaukee and he loves the Bucks.”

Rivers’ veiled shot at ESPN was likely a reference not only to Charania’s reporting but also to a comment made by another one of the network’s NBA reporters, Brian Windhorst, during an ESPN Cleveland radio appearance (Twitter video link).

Windhorst went viral on Wednesday after saying that Antetokounmpo “asked to be traded already” prior to the season, a reference to the Bucks’ trade talks with the Knicks reportedly instigated by Giannis. During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Thursday morning, Windhorst walked back that remark to some extent.

“Doc can say with a straight face that there was no trade demand, and I think that’s true. He didn’t demand it,” Windhorst said of Antetokounmpo (YouTube link). “However, those (offseason) discussions (with the Knicks) were not the Bucks’ idea, I assure you.”

Team sources who spoke to Nehm and Sam Amick of The Athletic downplayed the “severity” of the situation with Giannis and confirmed that he hasn’t formally requested a trade at this point.

However, with Milwaukee off to a slow start this season and Antetokounmpo raising eyebrows by scrubbing his social media accounts of virtually all their content, leaving little reference to the Bucks, speculation will continue to run rampant as potential suitors keep a close eye on the situation.

“I talked to teams yesterday that immediately scheduled meetings to talk about whether they would make an offer (if Antetokounmpo requests a trade),” Windhorst said on Get Up. “The Knicks would potentially be on Giannis’ list, but the feel would be that Giannis might expand (that list). … Because he’s only got one guaranteed year left (after this season), he would probably have a role in directing where the Bucks might send him.”

Windhorst added that all involved parties – including Giannis and the Bucks – would probably like to have clarity on which way the situation is headed within the next couple weeks or so, and pointed to December 15 as a date to watch, since many offseason signees become trade-eligible at that point.

Here’s more on Giannis and the Bucks:

Brian Lewis of The New York Post has long reported that the Nets have interest in Antetokounmpo, but he suggests the timing might not be right for Brooklyn if the two-time MVP requests a trade in the coming weeks or months. As Lewis explains, the Nets are now in full-on tank mode and don’t yet have an obvious young franchise player to pair with Giannis.
The Heat would and should be interested in Antetokounmpo if he were to ask for a change of scenery, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. However, Winderman suggests that including Bam Adebayo in an offer would be a “non-starter” for Miami and it’s unclear if the rest of the team’s assets would be enough to entice Milwaukee — especially if the Heat aren’t offered any compensation from the NBA for the first-round pick they traded for Terry Rozier without knowing he was being looked at for unusual betting activity.
ESPN’s NBA experts take a look at five hypothetical trades that might work for the Bucks and Antetokounmpo, exploring scenarios that send the star forward to the Hawks, Rockets, Knicks, Spurs, and Warriors.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Antetokounmpo’s future and the fact that he left Wednesday’s game after just three minutes due to a calf injury, the Bucks picked up their best win of the season, beating Detroit by a score of 113-109. Big man Bobby Portis said the Bucks had a team meeting before the game that helped everyone “get settled in,” as Jack Maloney of CBS Sports relays (via Twitter).
In case you missed it, Antetokounmpo’s calf strain is expected to keep him on the shelf for about two-to-four weeks.

De’Anthony Melton To Make Season Debut On Thursday

December 3rd, 2025 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton will make his season debut on Thursday against one of his former teams in Philadelphia, tweets ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Melton, who has spent the fall going through the final phase of his recovery from an ACL tear, isn’t on the Warriors’ initial injury report for Thursday’s contest vs. the Sixers. He’ll be available for the first time since he suffered that knee injury on November 12, 2024, nearly 13 months ago.

After signing a one-year contract with the Warriors during the 2024 offseason, Melton appeared in just six games for Golden State before his season came to an early end. He looked like a great fit in the backcourt during that very small sample, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 20.2 minutes per contest. The team had a +10.9 net rating during his 121 minutes of action.

Melton, who returned to the Warriors this fall after being traded to Brooklyn last season, also missed a significant portion of the 2023/24 season due to a back issue and has appeared in just 14 regular season and playoff games since the calendar flipped to 2024. With that in mind, it’s safe to assume head coach Steve Kerr will be conservative with the 27-year-old as he returns to the court — he figures to be on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future.

Still, Melton’s return will be a welcome one for a Warriors team that’s missing star guard Stephen Curry due to a quad contusion. Curry may not be the only rotation player who is inactive on Thursday, as several others – including Jimmy Butler (left knee soreness), Jonathan Kuminga (right ankle soreness), and Quinten Post (left ankle sprain) – are listed as questionable to play.

Northwest Notes: Murray, Strawther, Thunder, Kessler, Beringer

December 3rd, 2025 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray exited Monday’s game vs. Dallas due to a right ankle sprain, but it doesn’t sound as if the injury will require an extended absence. In fact, it may not cost Murray any games at all, as he has been listed as questionable to play on Wednesday in Indiana, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette.

While the update on Murray is good news for the Nuggets, the team is still down multiple starters (Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon), and is also missing reserve wing Julian Strawther, who could have been in line for an increased role if he were healthy. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes (subscription required), Strawther will miss a ninth consecutive game on Wednesday due to a back injury, and it doesn’t sound as if he’s all that close to returning.

“He’s been doing minimal movement stuff,” head coach David Adelman said on Monday. “He was on the exercise machines today. I think it’s just a process of the (treatment) working and then seeing where it leads to, just through activity. (But) not basketball activity or physicality. So at this moment, I really don’t have any update on him, other than it was good to see him moving around.”

According to Adelman, there wasn’t a specific play on the court that caused Strawther’s injury.

“It wasn’t in-game. It was an off day after a game,” Adelman explained. “He just woke up with pain, and then it got considerably worse, to the point where anybody that’s had back issues — I have — it sucks. Like, you can’t do anything. No mobility. So we’re just trying to work our way through it.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Do the 21-1 Thunder have a legitimate chance to set a new NBA record by winning 74 games in 2025/26? Exploring that question, Sam Amick of The Athletic takes a look at how this year’s Thunder compare to the 73-win Warriors and notes that at least one member of that 2015/16 team believes Oklahoma City could break Golden State’s record. “I do think they’re capable,” Warriors forward Draymond Green told Amick on Tuesday. “You just need so many things to go right, though — from health, (although) they kind of plow right through health (issues), so it don’t matter, it seems. You need a lot of breaks to go your way, but they’re on the right track. I think 73 wins took some years off my life. But like I said, they’re capable of a lot.”
In a feature story for ESPN.com, Anthony Slater does a deep dive on one key contributor to the Thunder‘s success, exploring Chet Holmgren‘s lengthy recovery from a fractured pelvis last season and outlining why the center and his teammates believe Holmgren will keep getting better.
Jazz center Walker Kessler has remained “very engaged” while he recovers from a season-ending shoulder injury, taking part in practices and film sessions, head coach Will Hardy said this week, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Kessler isn’t traveling with the team on road trips, but that will likely happen eventually. “We’ll address the travel part a little bit further into his rehab,” Hardy said. “… I want Walker around the team. Rehab can be very isolating, and I don’t think that’s good for Walker. But that’ll be a little bit further down the road as his rehab gets more established.”
Timberwolves rookie Joan Beringer hasn’t gotten a chance to play much this fall, but a Western Conference scout tells Grant Afseth of RG.org, “People in that building rave about how willing he is to learn.” For his part, Beringer says he’s focused on making a defensive impact and not trying to do too much in the instances when he gets a little playing time. “If I play five, six, seven minutes, I try to be good in my role, and the coach pushes me in this way,” the 19-year-old big man said.

Stephen Curry Expected To Miss Three More Games

December 3rd, 2025 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

Injured star Stephen Curry won’t travel with the Warriors as they embark on a three-game road trip that begins on Thursday in Philadelphia, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Tuesday night.

That means that in addition to missing Thursday’s game against the Sixers, Curry will be unavailable for a weekend back-to-back in Cleveland on Saturday and Chicago on Sunday. After that trip, Golden State will have four full days off before hosting the Timberwolves on December 12.

“It was a long shot for him to play in the back-to-back and we don’t play again until (next) Friday,” Kerr explained, per Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports Bay Area. “So it just makes perfect sense for him to stay home with (director of sports medicine and performance) Rick (Celebrini), get the rehab done here, get his work in and hopefully be ready for Minnesota next Friday.”

Curry exited last Wednesday’s loss to Houston with an injury that the Warriors later diagnosed as a quad contusion and muscle strain. He was initially ruled out for Saturday’s game against New Orleans and Tuesday’s matchup with the defending champion Thunder.

The Warriors beat the Pelicans over the weekend and put up a valiant effort on Tuesday against an Oklahoma City team that has been dominating the league this season, but couldn’t pull off the second-half comeback without Curry and star forward Jimmy Butler, who exited the game due to left knee soreness, as Anthony Slater of ESPN writes.

It’s unclear whether Butler, who was initially listed as questionable to play vs. OKC due to a glute contusion, will be available on Thursday vs. Philadelphia, Slater adds.

“I don’t know anything more,” Kerr said after the game when asked about Butler’s injury. “I didn’t even know (he was out) until I was drawing up a play with a minute to go (before the second half) and somebody came in the huddle and said Jimmy is down.”

The 11-11 Warriors, who have an overall net rating of +0.7 so far this season, are at +6.3 when Butler is on the court, +3.6 when Curry is playing, and +10.6 when they’re on the floor together.

Warriors Sign LJ Cryer, Waive Jackson Rowe

December 2nd, 2025 at 12:24pm CST by Rory Maher

December 2, 12:24 pm: Cryer’s two-way contract with the Warriors is now official, according to the team (Twitter link).

December 1, 5:12 pm: Rowe has been released, the Warriors announced (Twitter link).

December 1, 4:42 pm: The Warriors plan to waive second-year forward Jackson Rowe, who is signed to a two-way contract, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (via Twitter).

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the Warriors will sign free agent guard LJ Cryer to fill Rowe’s two-way spot — the former Baylor and Houston standout spent training camp and the preseason with the Warriors prior to being released in October.

The 24-year-old also played with the Warriors’ Summer League club after going undrafted in June, averaging 9.2 points and 2.8 assists on .500/.421/.833 shooting in four appearances (18.1 minutes per game). He averaged 5.0 PPG in 9.6 MPG during the preseason.

Cryer, a 6’0″ point guard, had a decorated college career and has put up impressive statistics with Santa Cruz during the Tip-Off Tournament this fall, averaging 24.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds on .444/.414/.867 shooting in seven games (34.1 minutes per contest). He’s attempting 12.4 threes per game and making 5.1 of them — eye-popping numbers.

Rowe, 28, went undrafted in 2020 after four years at Cal State Fullerton. The Toronto native spent his first four post-college seasons playing in France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, and the NBA G League prior to signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Golden State in July 2024.

A 6’6″ forward, Rowe was initially waived by the Warriors before the 2024/25 season began, opening that campaign in the G League with their affiliate team in Santa Cruz. He signed a two-year two-way contract with Golden State in January, appearing in six NBA games last season while averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per night. He didn’t play in any NBA games this season for the Warriors.

Rowe has performed well for Santa Cruz the past few seasons, which is how he earned his promotion last season. In 36 games in ’24/25 (33.0 MPG), he averaged 16.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.3 SPG on .515/.391/.681 shooting. Through five games this fall, he’s averaging 13.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.4 SPG, though his three-point percentage dropped (23.8%) in a small sample size (5-for-21).

Seth Curry Rejoins Warriors On One-Year Deal

December 1st, 2025 at 12:35pm CST by Eli Cohen

December 1: Seth Curry has officially signed with the Warriors, according to a team press release.

November 30: Free agent guard Seth Curry plans to re-sign with the Warriors on Monday on a deal that will cover the rest of the 2025/26 season, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter).

After spending training camp with Golden State, Curry was waived in mid-October as the team made its final cuts for the regular season roster, mostly because his veteran’s minimum salary couldn’t fit under a second-apron hard cap.

Reporting at that time suggested Curry was expected to rejoin the Warriors eventually, but the club had to wait until at least November 11 in order to squeeze his prorated minimum-salary contract below the hard cap.

Waiting an extra few weeks to bring him back will create some extra breathing room for Golden State. Assuming he signs on Monday, as planned, Curry’s rest-of-season cap hit will be $1,755,198, leaving the Warriors roughly $264K below their hard cap. He’ll earn a salary of $2,777,830 if he finishes out the season with the club.

Curry, an 11-year veteran, played last season for the Hornets, leading the league in three-point percentage at 45.6% on 182 total attempts. A 6’1″ three-point specialist, he holds lifetime averages of 10.0 points per game on 43.3% shooting from deep.

This will be the first time that Seth and his brother, Stephen Curry, play on the same NBA team during the regular season.

Injury Notes: Sasser, LeBron, Smart, M. Williams, Dunn, Butler

November 30th, 2025 at 5:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Third-year guard Marcus Sasser, who has yet to play in 2025/26 after sustaining a right hip impingement during the preseason, has been assigned to the G League to practice with the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons announced today (Twitter link via Hunter Patterson of The Athletic).

Just over three weeks ago, Detroit said Sasser would be reevaluated in about four weeks, so that exam should come in the near future. Given that he’s getting some practice reps in with the Cruise, Sasser’s season debut may not be far off either.

After a strong rookie year, the 25-year-old point guard was in and out of the rotation out last season. He wound up appearing in 57 games and averaging 6.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 14.2 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .463/.382/.843.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

After initially being listed as questionable, Lakers star LeBron James was subsequently ruled out of Sunday’s matchup vs. New Orleans because of left foot injury management, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. As McMenamin notes, Sunday is the front end of a back-to-back — Los Angeles faces Phoenix on Monday. Marcus Smart will miss his second straight game Sunday due to back spasms, per the NBA’s official injury report. The veteran guard was initially deemed doubtful.
Suns center Mark Williams (right calf soreness) and forward Ryan Dunn were questionable for Saturday’s loss to Denver before being downgraded to out. Head coach Jordan Ott discussed the status of both players prior to the game, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter video link). “The (right) knee was doing well,” Ott said of Williams. “Something independently just popped up (during Friday’s loss at OKC) with the calf. Don’t think it’s too serious. We want to play the long game with him. He’s done a great job of building back up and being available for us.” Dunn, meanwhile, has missed the past five games with a right wrist sprain. “He’s in a good place. He’s only been out six or seven days, however (long) it’s been,” Ott said of the 2024 first-round pick. “It’s just a pain tolerance, flexibility. Of course it’s the shooting wrist. Things are in a good place. We’ll continue to assess, but I would imagine it’s relatively soon (when he returns).”
Warriors forward Jimmy Butler took a hard fall during Saturday’s win over New Orleans but is optimistic he’ll be ready to go on Tuesday against Oklahoma City, as Anthony Slater of ESPN relays (Twitter video link). Through 19 games (31.7 MPG) this season, the six-time All-Star is averaging 20.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.2 APG and 1.6 SPG on .527/.436/.856 shooting.

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